The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1887-03-05
RIEL,s GRAVE.
Tho Neglected Resting-Place OF the Half
Breed Leader In the Northwest.

No visit to this interesting region is
complete without crossing over Red
river from Winnipeg to the suburb oil
st. Boniface. the home OF Archbishop
Tache. There are two men IN Winnipeg
who, by their personal merits and y
long course of wise actions for the bene-
fit of this region. have become pre-eini.
nent in their inilnense over the people
of the Canadian northwest. Sir Donald
A. Smith. whose Winnipeg home is ai
Silver heights. on the banks of the As
siniboine. was for many years the head
of the Hudson & Bay company in this
country. and his influence over the peo.
pie in the wide domain extending from
the boundary to the Arctic circle and
from the great lakes westward 10 the
Rocky mountains has been very marked.
Arch bishop Toche. whose province ex-
tends all over the same wide territory is
the revered spiritual adviser of the
French and Indians, and also n sage
counselor for the whole country. These
two men for long period have been Il
reliance of the government in dealing
with these remote people. and they were
mainly instrumental in settling the orig
inal troubles in Manitoba which result
ed it its being made Canadian pro-
vince. Riel very properly objected to
some suggested modes II settlement. be-
cause. as he said, the people of this re-
gion desired to be equal TO and not sub
ordinate TO Canada; they did not wish
ito be the colony of colony" Cross
ing over the substantial bridge spanning Q
the Red river between Winnipeg and
St Bonifaee, the attractive cathedral is
in full view. The river sweeps grandly
around from the west 10 the north, and
on the edge of the outer bank is q road.
A plain white fence borders this road
with foliage behind IL, from among
which stands up the cathedral of St
Boniface, with It's tall. shining, tin GOV.
cred spire reproduction of those seen
on the lower ST. Lawrence, Above this
is the large. square academy building,
which is school of the Sisterhood OF
Gray Nuns from Montreal. and adioin-
ing il is their convent. Below the church.
embOsomed in trees. stands the modest
residence of the archbishop, = low.
square-roofed house, vet comfortable in
lis appointments St Boniface college
is behind. The buildings are construct.
ed of the eream-colored stone found
near by, and which il used SO extensive.
ly in Winnipeg. The church is of mod.
ern build. erected in 1860. to succeed
the original church then burnt Ii has
famous chime of bells. first sent out
from London TO the old church. destroy
ed when the church was burnt. the
fragments collected and sent back to
London for recasting, again sent out,
and, after meeting various misnaps,
finally safely brought overland by oS
teams from ST Paul, on the Mississippi
river. They are known here as ..the
travelling bells of ST. Bonitace. But
the most interesting part of the place j;
the grave OF Riel in the ehurch-yard. II
! is fiat grave inclosed by plain wood
en- fence, with cross. also of wood
stuck in the ground aud bearing the
words Louis David Riel, without other
mark His widow who recently died
is Inferred alongside without any mark
and, in fact, the graves show no evi.
dence of any care being taken OF them.
/ The death of Riel by the extreme pen.
alty of the Jaw. while still a cause oi
great irritation among the French ui
Lower Canada. has probably ended all
prospect of French half-breed domina.
/ iion in any part of the northwest where
the English rule. mainly through the
| insl rumentality of the Canadian Pacific
railway, has now established its su
preme authority HuiHipeg Cor. Lon
I don Times.